Scattered across the equator in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the gem like
islands of the Maldives depict the rare vision of a tropical
paradise. Palm fringed islands with sparkling white beaches,
turquoise lagoons, clear warm waters and coral reefs teeming with
abundant varieties of marine flora and fauna, continue to
fascinate visitors, as it has fascinated others in the past, for
thousands of years. Marco polo referred to the Maldives as the
'..... Flower of the Indies', and Ibn Batuta called her in his
chronicles 'one of the wonders of the world.
Truly a natural wonder,
the height of the islands rarely reach above two meters. The 1,190
islands, consisting of 26 atoll formations, are spread over an
area of 1,000,000 square kilometers. The Maldivian atolls are a
classic discovery in its own right: the word atoll has been
derived from Dhivehi, the Maldivian language, from the word
atholhu.
 The
islands are surrounded by shallow crystal clear lagoons enclosed
by coral reefs. The unique islands provide visitors with one of
the most breathtaking views of underwater life in the world.
Formed above peaks emerging from the depths of the ocean, upon
layers of both living and dead coral, and remnants of other marine
life, the islands are generally covered with dense tropical
vegetation. Coconut palms towering above dense shrubs and hardy
plants protecting the shores from erosion are natural features in
most islands. The smaller islands and sand banks under formation
are also wonders in themselves. These islands together embody
living entities in various stages of formation, as interdependent
elements in an ecology, in a food chain where birds, fish, and
other marine life co-exist, with humans at its apex as caretakers
for centuries. Measuring 820 kilometers north to south and 120
kilometers east to west at its greatest width, the closest
neighbors are India and Sri Lanka. With a population of 263189
(1997 estimate), only 200 islands are inhabited. Another 88
islands are set aside exclusively for tourist resort development.
The origins of the Maldivians are lost in ancient history. There
are historical and archeological records which indicate the
islands to have been inhabited for over 5,000 years. There are
also indications that the Maldives, being on an important trade
route, was settled by people from all over the world. This leaves
the origins of the people enshrined in mystery. However, the main
stock of the Maldivian people, as seen from physical features and
supported by historical evidence of migration, are predominantly
Aryan or Dravidian.
 Throughout
the Maldives a language which belongs to the Indo-Iranian group,
Dhivehi, is spoken. It shows a strong Arabic influence. Dhivehi
written from right to left is the official language of the
country. As a second working language, English is widely used in
government offices. Other foreign languages, however, are widely
used within the tourism industry. Foreign languages, mainly
English, are also frequently used in commerce.
The Maldives has been an
independent country, except for a brief period of 15 years and 6
months of Portuguese rule in the middle of the 16th century.
Between 1887 and 1965, the Maldives was a British protectorate
though Britain did not interfere with the internal affairs of the
country.
Maldives
regained her full sovereignty in 1965. The newly independent
country changed from a sultanate to a republic on 11 November
1968.
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